The invention is in the field of weapon retention mechanism. More specifically, the present invention is a locking and quick release mechanism for hand gun holsters.
In the field of competition holsters for Practical pistol shooting there are two main designs in use today: competition holsters with a muzzle support, and competition holsters without a muzzle support—such as our design.
A range of holsters have been offered from the dawn of the handgun. The holsters known in the art vary considerably and can be grouped according to central themes. One such group is known as competition holsters with a muzzle support and another is known as trigger guard gripping systems.
Several models of holsters with muzzle support are known in the art including manufacturers and products such as the “CR Speed WSII holster”, the “Arredondo holster” and the “Safariland 013 competition”.
All of the above holsters commonly rely on a muzzle support to hold the handgun in the holster, and preventing the handgun from being inadvertently displaced (also known as “rocking forward” and “rocking backwards”).
Holsters with muzzle support commonly secure the handgun in at least two points—around the trigger guard (as most competition holsters do) and below the muzzle. The below the muzzle support is commonly achieved by either a pin protruding into the muzzle area of the barrel or a cup type design for containing the slide and barrel around the muzzle area.
Although such a configuration simplifies the design of the trigger guard gripping system, as this area no longer has to totally stabilize the gun—but rather much of that is achieved by the muzzle grip.
A latent deficiency of holsters with muzzle supports is the need for such holsters to be considerably longer and at least longer than the gun barrel of the handgun. Such a long design is “clumsy” and is considered a disadvantage by competition shooters, who prefer holsters securing the trigger guard only. A further deficiency of muzzle support holsters includes the latent inability to fit a variety of barrel lengths without adjustment yielding an even larger and bulkier configuration.
A further common design for competition can be grouped into competition holsters devoid of a muzzle support. Holsters devoid of a muzzle support are known in the art including manufacturers and products such as the “Ghost holster by Amadini”, the “Speed Sec holster by Hoppner & Shumann”, the “Guga Ribas holster” and the “Stealth holster from Limcat”.
The holsters in this group support the handgun by securing the trigger guard, allowing the entire gun to be exposed, creating a much more compact design, readily facilitating use of handguns having a multiplicity of barrel length without requiring any adjustments to the holster.
A latent deficiency of such holsters is their inability to ready facilitate a stable platform for the handgun. Although, a variety of barrel lengths can be used without modification, all such holsters are “handgun specific” (one needs to buy a holster per handgun type). A further latent deficiency includes a relative instability such that handguns can still “rock slightly forward” and “rock backwards” in the holster, and thus the handgun is prone to falling out of the holster if inadvertently displaced in a variety of angles. Also, the varying positions of the gun is a disadvantage to the competition shooter when rapidly drawing the handgun for the holster.
The shortcomings of the holsters known in the art include, among others, the following deficiencies for the holster designs detailed hereinbelow.
The Ghost holster utilizes a plastic molded body and a system to situate the trigger guard which has two parts: a spring loaded metal ball, which protrudes into the front of the trigger guard to hold the gun in place wherein the metal ball can be locked by rotating an external lever. Thus, the handgun is secured for the purpose of preventing the handgun “falling out” of the Ghost holster. Nevertheless, without “locking” the handgun with the external lever, which also prevents the handgun from being drawn, the handgun is prone to “rocking forward” and “rocking back” in the holster. An attempt to resolve the problem is by providing a second locking mechanism with a cam shaped locking lever. In use, subsequent to the handgun being situated fully in the holster, the distal part of the trigger guard applies pressure on the “tip” of the cam, such that the “tail end” of the cam is rotated, thereby securing the bottom the edge perpendicular to the distal part of the trigger guard.
The “double lock” mechanism of the Ghost holster secures the handgun and facilitates a relatively “smooth” draw. Nevertheless, the Ghost holster is devoid of a tension adjustment, which adversely affects the benefits of the Ghost holster.
The Speedsec holster from Hoppner & Shumann also utilizes a plastic molded body with a trigger guard retention mechanism. A rotating cam activated in response to a handgun being seated in the holster is provided. Like the Ghost holster, the distal end of the trigger guard rotateably displacing the cam such that a portion protrudes into the trigger guard, thereby securing the handgun. An external lever is also provided for locking the can until the handgun is drawn subsequent to releasing the locking lever.
Thus, due to the Ghost holster being devoid of a tension adjustment to the draw, only “fully locked” and “fully loose” position can be achieved. Moreover, since the cam has to rotateably displace out of place the holster is incapable of offering a “snug” and “tight” position of securing the trigger guard. Furthermore, the locking mechanism of the Ghost holster is rotatably displaceable “in” and “out” of the trigger guard and thus the Ghost holster is “loose” around the area of the trigger guard and thus the locking mechanism does not circumvent instability of the handgun.
Nevertheless, the Speedsec holster is also devoid of a tension adjustment, which adversely affects the benefits of the Speedsec holster.
Thus, due to the Speedsec holster being devoid of a tension adjustment to the draw, only “fully locked” and “fully loose” position can be achieved. Moreover, since the cam has to rotateably displace out of place the holster is incapable of offering a “snug” and “tight” position of securing the trigger guard. Furthermore, the locking mechanism of the Speedsec holster is rotateably displaceable “in” and “out” of the trigger guard and thus the Ghost holster is “loose” around the area of the trigger guard and thus the locking mechanism does not circumvent instability of the handgun.
There is therefore a need for a holster readily facilitating securing a handgun in a “snug” and “tight” position when securing the handgun in the holster and readily facilitating a substantially smooth and rapid draw of the handgun from the holster.